The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-26
JESUS ARRIAGA.
Tho Famous Mexican Bandit and His
ESCaDalSS

ne inquirer IDe IOl-
lowing interesting letter from the City of
Mexico:
The reproduction of a paragraph in ono of
the leading papers of this city, taken from
the Liberal, published at Porto Prince,
Hayti, has aroused great excitement
among the Mexican people; it gives the de-
Bcription Of doctor named Rull who lately
landed in that small republic. According to
the description it is believed hero that he is
none other than Dr. Jesus Arriaga,
celebrated thief, whose life is a ro-
nance. He is the son of a family who
once stood among the best of Mexican
society, was educated in the National
School of this city, where he went through
the preparatory studies, and was near to re-
ceive his graduation as a doctor at the med
ical college, when he suddenly abandoned
his studies and disappeared in 1888, he being
then Is years of age His family and friends
did all they could to find him, but all efforts
were unsuccessful Some time ago a rob-
berry was committed at the Bazaar" one of
the largest jewelry stores of this city. The
peculiar way in which it was accomplished
CREATED A GREAT SENSATION
throughout the whole country. The watch
man was found under the influence Of chic
reform, lying almost senseless on the floor:
well locked, and for a moment it seemed to
everyone as though nothing had happened,
but that practical joke had been played on
the Waterman. But on opening the safe
cases and drawers it was found that
more than $50 900 in money and Jewels had
been taken. For some time there was no
clew by which the authors of this skilful
robbery could be discovered, until another
one occurred at bank in Guadalaiara one
~ In cifi NJ ha ri
of Mexico, in the State of Jalisco.
Next door to the only bank Of this city at
that time was ''pasada" ian inn. A
stranger came to the landlord and rented it ;
not many days had elapsed since the stranger
took possession of the passada until the rob
berry occurred. The wall which separated the
two buildings had been bored, the doors and
drawers were opened and locked up again,
and more than $780, 900, most of it paper,
was missed. There was no doubt that the
two robberieS were perpetrated by mem
bers of the same gang. The following day
the stranger had disappeared; the other peo-
Pile living in the house were totally igno-
rant of what had taken place. This stran-
ger had a beautiful child, girl 8 years
of age, who left the city, accompanied by
woman, some days before.
The description of the stranger given by
the proprietor of the house was as follows
A man of about 30 years of age, erect, thin,
of a medium size and a white complexion;
long black beard and thick moustache;
good talker, well dressed and of elegant
manners
NOW THE DETECTIVES HAD A CLEw,
and it was soon heard that a passenger who
claimed to be Frenchman was stopped by
the detectives at Vera Cruz; the features of
the man answered the given description.
He was brought to the City of Mexico, and at
k,,,a 81 L, H.
Arriaga, who had so suddenly left the col
lege. He had been away for twelve years.
When he left Mexico he went to Havana
with girl who was working in a theatrical
company The girl embarked for Spain, and
he was left alone in Cuba. He turned to
his books, and after some months of prepa-
ration he asked to be examined at the Med
ical College of Havana, and received his di-
ploma as medical doctor. He married
daughter of one of the most aristocratic
families of that city, and lived for long
time in aqujet, honest manner His wife
died in a mysterious way, leaving him a
child. Soon after he went to Mexico under
another name, and was living en- front the
"Bazar" in the Gale del Espiritu Santo
street of the Holy Spirit, when the first
robbery took place, and afterward went to
Guadalajara. Notwithstanding the efforts
of his relatives to save him. he was SEN
fenced to ten years of imprisonment. Not
many weeks had passed when he, boring
through the wall of his cell,
EICAPED FROM THE PENITENTIARY,
and since that day nothing was heard of
him until 1880, carpenter was arrested at
the City of OriZaba State of Vera Cruz
and carried to the city Of Mexico, where he
was identified as DR.. Arriaga. 1t was sur
prise for the whole city to hear again of this
man. He was taken to the court, and when
-, i \
saying that he himself would make his
defense.
The day for his trial arrived, the court
room was crowded, he raised before the
Judge, and turning to the audience, then to
the jury, said Gentlemen of the jury, if [
have done wrong, it has been to those who
can not be hurt; to those who have money
enough to help the Others and don't do it.
defy you to present before me anybody to
accuse me of any felony, of any assassina-
ton. No. | never have dropped single
drop of blood; | never have done
any harm to anybody; l can present
you some families, poor families, children
who have been supported by me for
four and five years. At that moment three
old women and six children arose from the
crowd and approached the bar. They were
asked by the Judge and they confessed to
having been maintained, together with three
more families, by DR.. Arriaga during five
years. Those circumstances won the man
the sympathy Of the audience and
of some of the jury. The prisoner
continued: Part of the money that have
stolen is invested in works of this kind, and
the rest in my child; not cent has
been wasted in single thing that has not
been Of some utility for somebody. Since
three years ago concluded to change my
life and determined to live quietly and earn
my living by working as a carpenter in
Orizaba, where have large shop. In a
word, / am fully determined to mend
d myself. Now appeal to you, gentlemen of
the jury appeal to your own conscience
Il offer, promise, swear to be good here
after,
FOR THE SAKE OF NY CHILD,
for the sake of these poor old women and
these dear little children, and for my own
Sake-let me go freen All was in vain. He
was sentenced again to twelve years impi'is-
onment lie calmly heard his sentence, and
with perfect GOODNESS said: You compel me
10 look for myself. / accept the impeach-
ment will not be long there He was
taken to the penitentiary, locked up and
closely watched.
The penitentiary is situated toward the
west side of the city, near the Gate of Belen,
where Gen. Scott ON Sept. IL. 1876. gave his
last and decisive battle that made him the
master Of the City of Mexico. Before the
entrance of the penitentiary, which looks
east, is large square. To each side Is a
street. and hack of IT, is n ditch Scarcely